Holy Calamavote

RTJ’s performance was set up by a mock pledge-to-vote telethon with gonzo comedian Eric Andre and phone-bank volunteers in hazmat suits, then framed by the two rappers arriving at and departing a dark warehouse (actually Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta) like fraternal hustlers at the wheel of a Buick Grand National. But when they enter the secret soundstage and a ring of flashing light grids and smoke erupt from all angles as the duo bite into “Yankee and the Brave (ep. 4)” like attack dogs freed from cages, it’s clear that Run the Jewels put plenty of thought and capital into making everything look and sound on point.